⚛️India Approves 10 New Reactors

India just approved 10 new nuclear reactors that will add 7 GW to the grid, boosting the country’s total nuclear capacity to 22.5 GW by 2032.

That’s nearly triple today’s 8.5 GW.

It’s an aggressive ramp-up by the world’s most populous country, aiming to meet long-term energy security and clean power goals before the decade is out.

The new builds are all 700 MW Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) based on India’s domestic design.

Combined with 8 reactors already under construction (6.6 GW), the pipeline to hit the 2032 target is fully in motion.

But this push is about more than just supply. It’s about building the backbone of a cleaner, more industrialized India. Nuclear currently provides just 1.6% of the country’s power, but that share is expected to more than double by 2032.

Investor angle: India’s expansion adds over 20 million pounds of uranium demand each year. That’s a massive structural shift in a market already grappling with a supply shortfall.

And it doesn’t stop there. India is targeting 100 GW of nuclear capacity by 2047 as part of its “Viksit Bharat” vision for a developed economy.

The country is also pursuing Indigenous Fast Breeder Reactors to close the fuel cycle with domestic uranium and thorium, and the 2025 budget includes $2.5 billion for development of the Bharat Small Modular Reactor (BSR) designed for industries that are tough to decarbonize.

Bottom line: India is no longer testing the waters. It wants nuclear at scale, and it wants it fast.

📢China Unveils 1.2 GW Fast Reactor Design

China just unveiled plans for its most ambitious advanced nuclear project yet: a commercial Gen IV Fast Neutron Reactor, capable of generating 1.2 GW of power.

Named the CFR-1000, the design is now complete and awaiting approval, with startup expected after 2030.

This reactor is not just big, it is fast, literally. Unlike traditional thermal reactors, which use slow neutrons and require moderators like water, fast neutron reactors use high-energy neutrons that are unmoderated.

This makes them more fuel-efficient and capable of generating new fissile material from spent fuel, dramatically improving resource use.

The CFR-1000 is part of China’s strategy to move from thermal reactors to fast reactors, and eventually to fusion.

After over a decade of research and engineering, China now claims it has independently mastered every core and supporting technology required for large fast reactors, and built the world’s most complete fast reactor supply chain.

China already has a 600 MW demo version of the reactor, the CFR-600 that started operation in 2023.

Globally, fast reactors are gaining momentum. Russia is building the BN-1200 (also rated at 1.2 GW). The US, after scrapping its Integral Fast Reactor program decades ago, is playing catch-up through TerraPower, which is developing a 345 MW sodium-cooled fast reactor with the Department of Energy.

While some policymakers raise concerns about plutonium byproducts, international efforts promote fast reactors as a way to reduce nuclear waste, improve efficiency, and limit environmental impact.

🚀 The Smart Money Isn’t Waiting

If you’ve been watching the positive nuclear headlines drop every week, you’re probably thinking the same thing I am: “Yep, the nuclear renaissance is real.”

That’s why I created Nuclear Update Premium: for strategic deep dives into company, sector, and macro trends. We break down growth catalysts, management moves, and the geopolitical tailwinds driving the nuclear comeback.

Last week’s Premium edition ran 13 pages deep.

It included macro melt-up, uranium divergence, and how to dollar-cost average into the portfolio right now.

Here’s a sneak peek from last week’s issue:

📊 Macro Sentiment: Melt-Up, Meet Reality

The market is still ripping, but the risk-free ride may be reaching its limits.

The S&P 500 just notched its sixth straight record close, marking one of the strongest Julys on record. Every major sector except healthcare is now trading above its 200-day average, a trend alignment that has historically preceded consistent multi-month equity rallies. Breadth is bullish, momentum is real, and it feels like nearly every investor is leaning long. On the surface, it’s a textbook melt-up.

But beneath that strength lies a complex picture of policy risk, structural deceleration, and a market that may be getting ahead of itself. This is still a pro-risk environment, but it’s becoming a much more tactical one.

Cracks at the Fed

The July FOMC meeting left rates unchanged, as expected, but the policy statement softened. The Fed no longer describes growth as “solid,” but rather says it “moderated.” It also removed language about “lack of further progress” on inflation. That’s not just semantic drift; it signals the committee is preparing for a shift.

More importantly, the Fed board showed signs of disagreement. For the first time since 1996, two Fed governors, Waller and Bowman, broke from the majority and called for a rate cut. This is the clearest sign yet that internal pressure is mounting to pivot more aggressively. If the August CPI print comes in soft and employment data weakens further, a September cut could become the base case.

That shift is already being priced. Fed Funds futures now imply a roughly 70 percent chance of a cut in September. The narrative of “higher for longer” is fading, and rate-sensitive assets are beginning to reflect it.

Today’s jobs data revision adds fuel to that shift. The Bureau of Labor Statistics cut over 300,000 payrolls from previous estimates, significantly revising down its employment gains for the year.

This adjustment casts new doubt on the strength of the labor market, especially when paired with recent declines in manufacturing jobs and residential construction employment. Stripped of healthcare and education, the broader economy lost jobs in July. That dynamic is quietly undermining the “soft landing” story…

🎥 This Video Dropped a Few Days Ago and it’s a Must-Watch

Neil deGrasse Tyson breaks down uranium enrichment: what it is, how it works, and why it’s one of the most geopolitically sensitive technologies on the planet.

From isotopes to centrifuges to atomic bombs, it’s all here.

Clear, sharp, and atomically accurate.

Check it out👇

🌐 Trade Deals Include Nuclear Energy

Two major trade deals signed last week quietly included nuclear energy provisions. It did not make many headlines, but the implications are big.

U.S.–EU Trade Deal

The U.S. and EU finalized a deal that includes a 15 percent tariff on most European exports to the U.S., avoiding a broader trade war.

As part of the agreement, the EU pledged to purchase $750 billion in U.S. energy goods over the next three years to reduce reliance on Russian power sources. That includes, liquified natural gas (LNG), oil and nuclear fuel. 

French enrichment company Orano noted this opens new export channels for U.S. nuclear material. Although nuclear goods are currently exempt from tariffs, the sheer size of the energy commitment signals a boost for the sector.

U.S.–South Korea Trade Deal

South Korea locked in a reduced 15 percent tariff on auto exports, while the U.S. secured a $350 billion investment package.

Around $200 billion of that is earmarked for semiconductors, batteries, biotech, and nuclear power.

These agreements are more than just tariff talks. They show nuclear energy being treated as a core pillar of national strategy, economic diplomacy, and industrial planning. 

Just a couple years ago, the idea of nuclear being front and center in global trade deals would have been unthinkable. Now it's a cornerstone. That’s how far we’ve come.

⚛️For the Nu-clearly Curious

🏗️Helion Energy starts construction on nuclear fusion plant to power Microsoft data centers
Helion Energy, a startup backed by OpenAI's Sam Altman and SoftBank's venture capital arm, has started construction on a site for a planned nuclear fusion power plant that will supply power to Microsoft the company said on Wednesday.

👷Last Energy UK claims it can deliver microreactor in same month as gaining regulatory approval
Last Energy UK has claimed it will be able to deploy its first microreactor by December 2027, the same month it expects to achieve its nuclear site license.

🤝Hyundai E&C Establishes Global Partnership with UAE Nuclear Energy Company
Hot on the heels of last week’s ENEC–Westinghouse pact, Hyundai and ENEC have signed a new MOU to co-develop nuclear plants worldwide. The partnership builds on their Barakah success and targets new projects across the Middle East, North America, Asia, and Europe.

🦏The Rhisotope Project

Welcome back to Atomic Alternatives, where we highlight the unexpected ways nuclear tech shows up in the real world.

This week, instead of reading my words, I thought you’d enjoy hearing it from the IAEA.

They just supported one of the most inventive nuclear projects to date: protecting rhinos using radioactive isotopes.

In South Africa, around one rhino is killed every day for its horn. The Rhisotope Project is fighting back by safely inserting trace amounts of radioactive material into the horns.

This makes them detectable at borders and airports, deterring poachers and disrupting the black market trade.

It’s a clever twist on nuclear security, and it might just save a species.

Watch the full video here👇

Sometimes, the future of conservation doesn’t just rely on nature. It relies on nuclear.⚛️

😂Meme of The Week

Whether it’s tagging rhino horns with radioisotopes or watching India triple its nuclear output, one thing’s clear: this sector is no longer just heating up, it’s glowing.

Until next time, stay curious, stay critical, and stay charged ⚡

– Fredrik
📬 [email protected]
🔗 nuclearupdate.com